BULLETIN NO. 001-18: Reporting the total number of paraeducators who meet employment requirement

PESB Para Board

September 13, 2018

( X ) Action Required Due date: October 1, 2018
( X ) Informational  
 
BULLETIN NO. 001-18, Professional Educators Standards Board (PESB)
 
TO:
  • Educational Service District Superintendents
  • School District Superintendents
  • School District Business Managers
  • School District Human Resource Directors
   
FROM: Alexandra Manuel, Executive Director, PESB
RE: Reporting the total number of paraeducators who meet employment requirements
   
CONTACT: Jack Busbee, Program Manager, Paraeducator Board
360-725-6377, jack.busbee@k12.wa.us

PURPOSE/ BACKGROUND

The 2018 Legislature passed into law SSB 6388 revising requirements for paraeducator employment in Washington State. In addition, the Legislature requested school districts report the number of paraeducators who meet these requirements.

By October 1, 2018, a school district that does not receive funding under Title I of the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 must report to the Paraeducator Board with the following information about instructional paraeducators hired by the school district for the 2018–19  school year, as of September 1, 2018: The total number of instructional paraeducators and the number who meet the minimum employment requirements provided in RCW 28A.413.040.

An instructional paraeducator is defined (WAC 179-01-020) as:

A classified public school or school district employee who works under the supervision of a certificated or licensed staff member, from grades kindergarten to grade 12, to support and assist in providing instructional and other services to students and their families, including library assistants, and excluding bus monitors, lunchroom aides, and community service aides.

Districts are advised to review the paraeducator minimum employment requirement flyer.

In addition, as a reminder, when school districts report to Personnel Reporting (S-275) on their instructional paraeducators, they must use Duty Code 91 and Activity Code 27.  

REPORTING

For the purposes of this request by the Legislature, districts must report the number of paraeducators in their school district by using the following online survey. Reports must be submitted by October 1, 2018.  

INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE

For questions regarding this bulletin, please contact Jack Busbee, Program Manager, at 360-725-6377 or email jack.busbee@k12.wa.us. The PESB main number is 360-725-6275.

This bulletin is also available on the PESB News page of the PESB website.

Alexandra Manuel
Executive Director
Professional Educator Standards Board

CR: jb